diff --git a/src/tools/routed.cpp b/src/tools/routed.cpp
index 66236d527..958ef8d2a 100644
--- a/src/tools/routed.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/routed.cpp
@@ -273,10 +273,12 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) try
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
     int sig = 0;
-    sigset_t new_mask;
-    sigset_t old_mask;
-    sigfillset(&new_mask);
-    pthread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &new_mask, &old_mask);
+    sigset_t wait_mask;
+    sigemptyset(&wait_mask);
+    sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGINT);
+    sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGQUIT);
+    sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGTERM);
+    pthread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &wait_mask, nullptr);  // only block necessary signals 
 #endif
 
     auto service_handler = std::make_unique<server::ServiceHandler>(config);
@@ -298,19 +300,13 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) try
         std::thread server_thread(std::move(server_task));
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
-        sigset_t wait_mask;
-        pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &old_mask, nullptr);
-        sigemptyset(&wait_mask);
-        sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGINT);
-        sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGQUIT);
-        sigaddset(&wait_mask, SIGTERM);
-        pthread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &wait_mask, nullptr);
         util::Log() << "running and waiting for requests";
         if (std::getenv("SIGNAL_PARENT_WHEN_READY"))
         {
             kill(getppid(), SIGUSR1);
         }
         sigwait(&wait_mask, &sig);
+        util::Log() << "received signal " << sig;
 #else
         // Set console control handler to allow server to be stopped.
         console_ctrl_function = std::bind(&server::Server::Stop, routing_server);